Power transmitting apparatus



, D. LAKE Sept. 24, 1929.

PQWER TRANSMITTING APPARATUS Original Filed Jan. 14. 1922 4 Sheets'sheet 1 D. LAKE p 1929' POWER TRANSMITTING APPARATUS 17'444 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original File dJan. 14. 1922 D. LAKE PCWER TRANSMITTING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Sept. 24, 1929.

Original Filed Jan. 14. 1922 Original Filed Jan. 14. 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 W M m D m M W. 4 Q a I 2 H m +N\\ 7 Reissued Sept. 24, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DAVID LAKE, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR T AUTOMATIC CLUTCH & MACHINE 00., INCL, OF ROCHESTER, YORK, A CORPORATIONOF NEW' YORK POWER-TRANSMITTING APPARATUS Original No. 1,600,117, dated. September 14, 1926, Serial No. 529,159, filed January 14, 1922. Application for reissue filed September 12, 1828. Serial No. 305,574.

tain them in clutching position, the efficiency of such clutching action being increased by the use of a compressible, resilient material between the shoes and the member against which they are moved. This principle of construction may have various ment comprising in the present instance, example, clutching shoes arranged as above described, and cooperating with an interposed floating resilient mass, which, when power is applied, permits a slippage between the 'driving member and the transmitting member and also permits slippage between the transmitting member and the driven member and utilizes the frlction between the transmitting member and the contact surface of engaging shoes to rotate the latter on their axes, causing further and further impinging ofthe con tact surfaces upon the transmitting member and consequent deformation in the latter under the influence of the torque caused by the transmission of power to such a degree that further slippage is prevented. At thispoint there. is no relative motion between the driving anddriven members.

This case is a continuation, as to all com.-

, men-subject matter, of application Serial No.

397,062, filed July 17, 1920.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of my improved power transmitting apparatus, the section being on the line 11,Fig 2;

of the arrow a, Fig. 1, with a part of the drivlng member in section and showing the shoes in contact with the transmitting member;

Fig. 3 is a view of a portion of the "power transmitting apparatus similar to Fig. 2 and forms of embodifor a showing the shoes 3 out of contactwith the I transmitting member;

Fig. 4 is a perspective VlBW. of the hub;

Fig. 5 is a perspective View of the compensating ring; i

Fig. 6 is a detached perspective view of one of the shoes;

Fig. 7 is a detached perspective view of the shifting spool; i v c Fig. 8 is a perspective View of one of the cam rods;

Fig. .9 is a sectional view. on the line 9-9,

Fig. 1; and p i Fig 10 is a view illustrating my invention applied to a power transmitting apparatus using a fiat disk.

While, my invention. is illustrated as applied to what is commonly termed a clutc it will be understood that it isnot'limitedto this particular application, as it is in whole or in part applicable to a variety of apparatusfor transmitting power., I

Referringto the drawings, 1 is a shaft, which, in the present instance, isthe driven member Secured to'the shaft is a hollow bushing 2.having a chamber 8 for lubricant and having a seriesofperforations 4 to lubricate the bearing of thehub 6 of the belt wheel 5, which is the driving member. This driving member is freeto rotate on the bushing. The bushing is held to the shaft, in. the present instance, by a set screw.7 and the driving member is confined against longitudinal movement by a shoulder on one end of the i bushing and by thehub 8, which is secured to the shaft 1 by akey9 and forms part of the driven member. Projecting fromthe driving member 5 is an annular flange 10. This flange is recessed at 11, in the present instance, to receive the transmittingmember' 12.

This transmitting member is loosely mounted inthe recess so that it forms a fioatingmemberL This member may be of any composition that will form a resilient mass. Practical ex Fig. 2 1s a face view looinng in the directlon periments have .proven that a core of rubber located between two strips of cotton fabric, which is vulcanized, produces satisfactory results.

Projecting from the hub 8 are four studs 16. Mounted on each stud isa shoeY'17,

shaped as shown in Fig. 6, and having a wide, curved bearing surface 18, preferably of the width of the transmitting member. On each shoe is a pin 19, which projects into a slot 20 in a compensating ring 21 loosely mounted on the hub 8. This ring, while free to turn on the hub, has its movement limited by two rollers 22, mounted upon studs, which are carried by lugs 23 on the ring 21. Each of the two rollers comes in contact with a cam rod 24:. The cam rods extend through open ings 25 in the hub and are attached to projectlons 26 ona shifting spool 27, loosely mounted on the shaft 1. This spool is grooved, as at 28, to receive the portions of a shifting lever, which is used to move the spool longitudinally on the shaft. Each cam rod is made as shown inFig. 8 and has a tapered portion 29 against which the roller 22 comes in contact. Beyond this tapered por tion 29 is afiat portion 30 and separating the two portions is a slight shoulder 31.

When the shifting spool is in the position shown in Fig.1, then the rollers are in the deep portions of the cam rods 24. When theshifting spool 27 is moved away from the hub 8, then the tapered portions 29 of the rods act'to turn the compensating ring so as to withdraw the shoes clear of the transmitting member. On the continued movement of the shifting spool, the shoulder 31, on each cam rod, passes its roller. These rollers finally rest on the fiat surfaces 30 of their corresponding rods, the shoulders 31 positively holding the ring 21 against accidental or unintended rotation, and hence, holding the shoes out of action as illustrated in Fig. 3.

32 are two springs, which engage pins 33 onthe compensating ring 31 and pins 34 on the hub. These springs tend to turn the ring 21 and move the shoes into contact with the transmitting member, but, on the reverse movement of the shifting spool, the parts will yield on the movementof the cam rods 24: so as to allow the shoes to be withdrawn clear of the transmitting. member.

The operation is as follows: When it is desired to transmit motion from the driving member, which, in the present instance, is the belt wheel 5, to the driven member, which is the shaft 1, tlie'shifting spool is moved towards the hub 8. This movement permits the shoes 17 to travel outwardly, the curvilinear surface of each shoe engaging the cylindrical surface of the transmitting member. As the shoes are arranged eccentrically in respect to the transmitting member, the friction between each shoe and the'transmitting member is sufiiciently great to carry the shoes still farther into engagement with the transmitting member, but the tendency of the transmitting member isto rotate each shoe on its fulcrum. At the same time the transmitting member is pressed against the surface of the flange of the driving member.

The actual engagement of the shoes and actual distance they can rotate on their fulcrums are controlled by the operating mechanism as the shoes are rotated by the power of the wheel and not by the force exerted by the operator. As shown in the drawin s (Figs. 2 and 9), each shoe 17 cooperates with the driving member 5 at a point in advance of the point of cooperation of the shoe with the driven member 1 or 8, so that the force of frictional contact, actin upon the eccentric face of the shoe, tends to carry or rotate the shoe still farther in engaging or clutching direction, with a wedging action, produced by the power of the wheel, as already stated. The word advance as used throughout the specification and claims in referring to a direction is intended to mean a direction along a shoe 17 from the pin 19 toward the tip at the opposite end of the shoe, this tip bleing spoken of as the advance end of the s oe.

The shoes are imbedded in the transmitting member to an extent varying in degree with the degree to which such motion of the shoes is permitted by the operator. As the wheel rotates, while the hub carrying the shoes stands still before the mechanism begins to function, this indentation is compelled to progress in a circle and the character of the material of the transmitting member and its consequent response to deformation will determine the length of time required until a condition is reached where the driving and driven members rotate at the same speed.

There may be a slight rotary progressive movement proper in the various portions of the transmitting member, and, in addition thereto, a wave motion, whereby the material directly adjacent to, or under each shoe, is pushed away to both ends to make an indentation. As soon as a shoe passes a given point the depression fills up immediately with the identical material in place before depressiona new depression is created ahead of the first one and eliminateda third depression is made, and so on, all around the circle.

The design of the shoes may be altered to allow for a sudden or slow engagement. In the transmission of power, the load is constantly varying to a greater or less degree, the transmitting member having more or less of a cushion effect absorbs these vibrations. It is the results of these vibrations that permit the withdrawal of the shoes from contact with the transmitting member with minimum efi'ort.

Where circumstances require, constant rotation of the member carrying the shoes makes it the driver instead of the driven member.

In the drawings, the invention is illustrated as applied to a clutch pulley and the shifting spool 27 is moved by the operator 111 both directions. When the invention 1s apshifting sleeve 27 slides on then the wheel becomes the plied to a motor car, for instance, the foot pedal may be arranged to draw the clutch out of the engaging position, while a spring will act to throw the clutch into engaging position. In this latter case, the control cam, which causesa movement of the compensating ring, is modified so as to have no locked position.

While the transmitting member is described as being made in a particular manner, it will be understood that this transmitting member may be modified considerably without departing from the main feature of the invention, which is to make said member so that it can be deformed when power is applied, but which will return to its normal position when the device isnot transmitting power.

In Fig. 10, the invention is shown applied to a disk clutcln On the driving member is a cushioned pad 12*,whichforms the transmitting member. pivotally mounted in sockets in the driving hub 8, secured to the shaft 1.

21 designates a compensating ring and 32 designatesthe engaging spring. The v the shaft and is secured to the compensating ring. 28* designates a collar on the shifting sleeve, which may be engaged by a lever, or other shifting means. On the transmission case 36 is a rake lining 35, against which the shifting sleeve comes in contact when reversed.

In some of the claims I have referred to the shoes as carried by the driven member, but it will be understood that when the member carrying the shoes is the driving member, driven member. My claims are drawn to cover the construct-ion illustrated regardless of which member is ac tually driven.

I claim:

1. Thecombination in a power transmission, of driving and driven members; a floating pad of compressible, resilient material; movable means on one of said members for engaging and deforming the pad so that the resistance to such deformation supplies the transmitting energy, and mechanism for disengaging said movable means to disconnect said driven member from said driving member.

2. The combination in a power transmission. of a driving member; a driven member; I

a floating transmitting member; means whereby contact is made between the driving member and the floating member, and the floating member and the driven member; segmental means for deforming the floating transmitting member to the extent necessary to transmit the load, and mechanism for dis I engaging said contact making means to disconnect said, driven member from said driving member.

3. The combination in a power transmission, of a driving member; a floating resilient The shoes 17 are body forming atransmitting member; a carrier hub; two or more shoes pivotally mounted on the carrierhub, allshoes arranged-to come uniformly in contact withthe surface of the resilient body; yielding means tending to move the shoes into contact with the resilient body; and means for positively retracting the shoes.

4. The combination in a power transmission. of a driving member; a floating transmitting member ioused therein; a shaft on which the driving member is mounted loosely; a carrier hub forming the driven member, said carrier hub having'studs; shoes pivotally mounted on the studs andhaving a bearing'face arranged to come in contact when projected with the surface-of the transmitting member;yielding'means fdr moving the shoes into contact with thetransmitting member; and positive means. for Withdrawing'the shoes from contact with said. member.

i 5. The combination in apower transmis i sion, of a driving member; an annular transmitting member located in the driving memher; a driven member consisting of a hub; a shaft on which the hub is mounted; studs projecting from the hub; a shoe pivotally mounted on each stud and havlng aneccentric lI'JGiLliDQ surface arranged to come in contact w th the surface-of the transmitting member;

a compensating ring mounted on the hub and engaging the-shoes; and means for-moving the ring to allow the shoes to come into uniform contact with the surface of thetransmitting member, or'unif'ormly to withdraw the shoes from said transmitting member.

6. The combination in a power'transmission, of a shaft; a drivingelement loosely mounted on the shaft; an internal transmitting member arranged to float therein; a carrier hub, also mounted on the shaft; shoes.

pivoted to the carrierhub, said shoes having bearing faces eccentric to the. transmitting member; means for projecting the bearing faces of the shoes against thetransmittmg member; andmeans for positi'velyretracting the shoes. i

7. The combination of a driving member and a drivenmcmber; compressible, resilient floating member capable of being depressed; shoes formed to'cause an increasing impinging action upon thetransmitting member; and means for moving the shoes to and fromthe transmitting member.

8. The combination of1a driving member and. a driven member; a loose cushioned fric 'tion ring forming a transmitting member;

and; shoes carried by the driven member whose bearing faces are arranged eccentric to the friction ring; and means for moving said shoes in the path of the friction ring.

9. The combination of a driving member; a driven member; shoes carried by one of said members; a floating, transmitting member located between the shoes andtheother memher; and means for moving said shoes into and out of contact with said transmitting member, the shoes being tapered to be drawn into the power transmitting member by the action of the driving member to connect the said members operatively.

10. An annular, floating transmitting member for a power transmitting apparatus consisting of a compressible resilient core and wearing faces of fabric.

11. A clutch for transmitting power in a given direction at will comprising driving and driven members, one of said members having an annular portion, an element mounted on the other of said members for cooperation with said annular portion for clutching said members together and movable to and from a position for cooperation with said annular portion at a point in ad- Vance of a radius from the center of'rotation of said other member drawn through the point of mounting of said element on said other member, non-metallic transmitting material interposed between said element and one of said members, said element being curved on a substantially smaller radius of curvature than that of said annular portion so that said element cooperates with said annular portion only over a comparatively limited area and curves gradually away from said annular portion in advance of the point of cooperation therewith to produce progressive clutching engagement, so that the friction of contact tends to move said element progressively toward clutching position, and mechanism for operating said element to engage and disengage the clutch.

.12. A power transmitting clutch comprising, in combination, a driving member and a driven member, one of said members having an annular portion, a plurality of curved shoes movably mounted on the other of said members for cooperation with the inner surface of said annular portion for clutching said members together, each of said shoes having its clutching face curved on a substantially smaller radius of curvature than that of said annular portion so that each shoe cooperates with said annular portion only over a comparatively limited area and curves gradually away from said annular portion in ad- Vance of the point of cooperation therewith, non-metallic transmitting material interposed between said shoes and said annular portion, and mechanism controlling the clutching movement of said shoes to engage and disengage the clutch.

DAVID LAKE. 

